Nov 10 1945 GMT
Espérance Tunis (Tunisia) -
Al Ahly Cairo* (Egypt) 1:1
(1st leg 0:0) *=qualified
for final
1st half
-('3) #20 Adailton solorun
and spectacular sharp 16 m low shot into the first corner - 1:0
-('10) Esperance lock Al
Ahly into their half attacking relentlessly using the width of the field
and the . Al Ahly have only once suggested they might be dangerous on counter
attacks but the Tunisian defence put them offside.
-('25) The match is a bit
more balanced now. For Espérance the two Brazilans Adailton and
Reinaldo are conspiscious through their creative efforts
halftime 1:0
A game with almost no clearcut
chances but on a quite high level and entertaining anyway.
2nd half
-('55) Lively first 10 minutes.
Esperance still attacking but Al Ahly trying as well. Espérance
with the more dangerous scenes. The match is fast.
-('70) The concentrated
and attacking Tunisisan side achieves by this tactics that Al Ahly is busy
in defence and still has not been able to put pressure on the Espérance
defence. It have only been half chances but the hosts clearly have the
edge in goal scenes.
-('72) a rare better opportunity
for Al Ahly when after a free kick cross from the right a player is unmarked.
But the angle is tight and the keeper is able to cover the goal well, he
saves for a corner
-('77) a sudden Abdelhafiz
lucky 30 meter volley shot surprises the Tunisian keeper who is some meters
in front of his goal and delivers the shocker - 1:1
-('78) Esperance answer
immediately but the Al Ahly keeper saves
-('80) the Egyptian record
champions blow a brilliant counter opportunity when they are three against
one defender. Instead of playing out the situation Cherno fires from 20
meters high across the goal
-('82) Espérance
attack furiously and a spectacular 16 meter volley flies across the bar
-('85) attack after attack
is rolling against the Egyptian goal while Espérance look quite
open in defence now. Maher Kanzari is on the field now (Ali Zitouni is
not playing)
-Esperance need to win,
otherwise Al Ahly will qualify for the final on the away goal rule
-('87) the Egyptian keeper
wipes a dangerous cross across the bar, the insuing corner sees more wild
action inside the Al Ahly penalty area
-Esperance are fighting,
they attack with all players and a lot are running back though to help
during Al Ahly counter attempts
-('90) 4 minutes injury
time are sgnalled
-('90+1) a spectacular Reinaldo
free kick rocket is denied by a similar spectacular flying save by the
Egyptian keeper - he deflects the ball for a corner
-('90+4) the Al Ahly keeper
fists away a dangerous free kick cross and Al Ahly can run a counter attack
to to run out the clock
final score 1:1
Al Ahly have qualified for
the final. A great Espérance team have failed to win the cup the
third time in a row. Maybe an irony that their number 1 keeper El Ouaer
has been banned from the competition because of faking an injury in last
years final and his replacement did not look too good when conceiding the
equaliser.
Both teams played good football
according to their possibilities. Espérance dominated the match
pressuring Al Ahly into their half. This resultated in a match with no
clearcut chances for the Egyptians who were under pressure to score after
the early Tunisian lead.
But credit to Al Ahly as
well, who managed to keep the scoreline close, the opportunities for Espérance
were a handful but contained to half chances quality. A good performance
by the Al Ahly keeper El Hadary was a key element. This provided the scenario
for what can be described as a 'lucky punch'. But speaking of luck one
has to recall the spectacular double goalpost scene of the first match
as well, so that the Al Ahly success did not came out of the blue totally.
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